Chapter 89
The next day, I visited the Ainruke mansion for the first time in a while.
“It’s been so long, Lady Rodelia!”
“We’ve been waiting desperately for your return!”
Sofia and Isaac’s overly emotional greetings left me embarrassed and at a loss for words.
“I’ll visit more often from now on.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
I gave them an awkward smile as they both looked at me with hopeful eyes.
They must’ve thought Alperen and I had simply fought and made up.
Alperen and I went straight to the annex. We had already sent everyone else away, so the place was quiet.
“Tell me when you’re ready,” Alperen said softly, reassuringly.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
He stopped the magic device he’d been using, and I began to summon Ordell.
“[Ordell.]”
As I spoke his name with power, petals swirled around me in a circular motion.
And through them appeared a familiar figure — the Fairy King himself.
Alperen watched the entire scene in silence, his expression serious.
Ordell looked at me.
— You have summoned me.
“Hello, Lord Ordell. I’m here to ask for that favor I mentioned before.”
When I pointed to Daiven, Ordell turned his gaze toward him.
— Hmm.
He circled Daiven slowly, taking his time.
I was tense, worried he might say it was impossible.
— There it is.
Finally, he stretched out his hand, and water began to rise around Daiven.
Through the clear water, I saw black, murky liquid seeping out — a dark, sticky energy.
But it couldn’t affect Ordell’s pure aura.
In a moment, all of the black corruption surrounding Daiven was completely purified.
— Strange. You said he was attacked by the Ice Dragon, didn’t you?
“Why? Is something wrong?”
— The purification worked. But this man wasn’t truly hurt by the Ice Dragon.
“What?”
I frowned, confused.
Alperen stepped in to explain.
“I heard he was injured while subduing the Ice Dragon, which had been consumed by dark magic.”
— Hmph. He was struck by the Ice Dragon, yes — but that wasn’t the cause of his collapse.
“Then… you mean it was a trap?”
The air in the room grew heavy.
Alperen’s serious question made Ordell glance at him.
— There are traces of a sorcerer’s spell. The frozen mana core was only a distraction. Judging by your expression, you already suspected something like this.
Caught off guard, Alperen admitted,
“I thought it was strange. My father wouldn’t fall for such a simple trick. It didn’t make sense.”
— There must still be remnants of that curse on the Ice Dragon’s corpse. Do you still have it?
“Yes, I do. Could you examine it for us?”
— Hm. If my contractor wishes it, then I shall.
Ordell looked at me, and I quickly nodded.
“I’d be grateful. If it helps Alperen, then yes.”
— Very well. The poor dragon may be in a pitiful state, but I’ll even recite a funeral verse for it while I’m at it.
As Alperen and Ordell continued their discussion, my head began to ache from trying to keep up.
So, let me get this straight—
Before Lord Daiven attacked, the Ice Dragon had already been cursed by a sorcerer.
When Daiven killed the dragon, the curse transferred to him, putting him into a deep sleep for all these years.
Just thinking about it made my head spin.
Seeing my frown, Ordell lightly flicked my forehead.
— Anyway, you don’t need to worry about him anymore.
He must’ve noticed my concern.
— I’ve purified him myself. He’ll wake up soon.
The former duke, Daiven Ainruke — who’d been unconscious for six years and had never awoken in the original story — would finally open his eyes.
A miracle. And I had helped make it happen.
“Thank you so much, great Lord Ordell!” I exclaimed.
— Hmph. Only grateful when it suits you.
He chuckled and ruffled my hair. His tone toward me was much gentler than the one he used with Alperen.
Then he turned to Alperen.
— You need purification too.
“Ah…”
Alperen gave an awkward smile. Startled, I jumped in.
“What do you mean? Is something wrong with him?”
— He’s been overusing magic that doesn’t suit his affinity. Against a corrupted Ice Dragon, no less. It’s natural that dark energy has built up in his body.
“What?!”
I glared at Alperen, who lowered his gaze and muttered,
“I’m fine, Delly.”
— Fine? Hardly. If he’d continued much longer, his life could’ve been in danger.
Ordell’s blunt words made Alperen bite his lip.
I felt tears sting my eyes.
“Then what do we do?”
— Don’t worry. You’ll do just fine.
“Me?”
I blinked in confusion, and Ordell sighed dramatically.
— To think I was summoned by a contractor who doesn’t even know that a beast tamer’s primary ability is purification. How embarrassing.
“Oh!”
Right. Purification was one of a beast tamer’s inherent powers.
“So… I just have to stay close to him?”
— That works, but physical contact will be faster.
Contact.
The word made Alperen’s eyes light up with a strange glint.
“I see,” he said softly, his voice sounding far too pleased.
My face grew hot. I cleared my throat loudly.
“Ahem! R-right! Got it!”
After that, Alperen and Ordell discussed when to examine the Ice Dragon’s remains.
— Then I shall await your call.
With that, Ordell vanished.
Alperen didn’t say anything for a long time. I quietly waited for him to speak.
After a moment, he said,
“Thank you, Delly.”
“For what?”
“For everything. It’s all thanks to you.”
His tone was calm, but I could tell he was happy.
“When he wakes up, I wonder what he’ll say.”
“Well, first he should apologize. You’ve been working so hard all this time on your own.”
“I don’t know. He’ll probably say I didn’t do enough.”
“Then I’ll back you up! I’ll tell him how much you’ve suffered because of him!”
I raised my voice a little, trying to sound bold —
and suddenly, Alperen pulled me into his arms.
Startled, I went quiet.
Instead of words, I gently rubbed his back, returning his embrace.
“You’ve worked hard,” I whispered.
“…”
“I’ll stay with you until Lord Daiven wakes up.”
“…Okay. Please do.”
He smiled faintly and stroked my hair.
I didn’t need to look up to know what kind of expression he wore.
We sat side by side at Daiven’s bedside, waiting for him to awaken.
It was the second time I had changed the course of the original story —
first Alperen’s broken engagement with Nanael, and now Daiven’s recovery.
Through effort and determination, I’d even awakened a power that hadn’t existed in the original.
If I had just followed the story without doing anything, none of this would’ve happened.
‘When he wakes up, I guess I should call him Father, right?’
The thought made me nervous.
This would be my first meeting with my future father-in-law.
In the original novel, he was only ever described briefly in Alperen’s memories —
a stern man who constantly scolded and criticized his son, never offering a single kind word.
But according to the servants, he hadn’t been as cold as he seemed.
This annex, after all, had been built as a retreat for his late wife.
And after she passed away, he never remarried —
a rare thing among nobles, who usually replaced their spouses quickly.
Even if their marriage had been arranged, he must have truly loved her.
A man capable of that kind of devotion couldn’t be entirely heartless.
‘Then I’ll help him and Alperen get along better.’
If I could serve as a “translator” between father and son —
someone who could interpret their harsh words with understanding —
maybe Alperen’s resentment would ease, even just a little.
I was thinking just that when—
Lord Daiven’s fingers twitched.
And then, slowly, his tightly shut eyes began to tremble open.
